One of the hottest entries in next month's NBA draft is a 21-year-old giant who might stick out ? not because of his 7-5 frame, but because he's Asian.

The highly touted Chinese center Yao Ming traveled to Chicago last week to show off his skills during an hour-long official workout in front of 150 members of the media and 26 of the NBA's 29 clubs.

The practice session cemented Yao's position as a top pick in this year's NBA draft, set for June 26.

Yao would become the third Chinese player to play in the NBA, joining the Dallas Mavericks' Wang Zhizhi and Menk Batere of the Denver Nuggets.

"To see world-class players coming into our league from Latin America, Africa, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Asia is an exciting thing for our league," NBA commissioner David Stern said at a press conference Sunday.

"And to think that there will be a generation that will grow up watching their countrymen play in the NBA, I think speaks well for our growth and development," he said. "I think it makes the competition in our league extraordinary tough, and it raises the level greatly. This was the year of the breakthrough for international players."

Yao's presence in the NBA, along with the other two members of what scouts have nicknamed the Great Moving Wall, could significantly increase the profile of Asian athletes, said Matty Won of Bay Area Asian Sports, an organization that encourages Asian-American kids to participate in basketball leagues.

"Pretty much every race is represented in some major sport, but there are only a few Asian Americans floating around," Won said. "Yao, playing with a team like the [Golden State] Warriors, would be a big boost to his team and to Asian Americans in the Bay Area. It's going to draw Asian Americans out to the stadium."

Won points to the San Francisco Giants, who recently signed Japanese star Tsuyoshi Shinjo. "The Giants were already selling out, but he just brought in so many more Asians," he said. "I was there opening day and there were Japanese flags out and people were going crazy for him."

And with popularity comes financial success ? something Yao would undoubtedly receive, according to Bob Williams, president of Burns Sports & Celebrities, Inc., an Evanston, Ill.-based company that links advertisers with celebrities.

Williams said Yao's endorsement opportunities, which could reach $100 million over the next few years, would most likely come from U.S. companies looking to break into the Asian, where Ming already is an established name.

Yao could follow a similar path to Eduardo Najera of the Dallas Mavericks, Williams said. Although Najera has a blank portfolio in the United States, he's a household name across the Rio Grande, where he is working with three large Mexican companies.

But there is potential for Yao to show up in an American ad campaign, Williams said. "I don't think anyone would argue he's the best of the Chinese players and he could be the best of the new crop. Even without speaking much English, talent and intrigue make for great product endorsers."

The mystery surrounding Yao increases his profitability, Williams said. "Some teams have seen him play in some international competitions like the Olympics, but from an NBA scouting perspective, he's an unknown," he said. "Potential draft picks are looked at over many, many games. They're only seeing Yao for a couple of days."

People like Yao and Shinjo, along with the Asian-American athletes playing college sports, are breaking barriers, Won said.

"I think kids are seeing now that anything is possible for them," he said. "If their skills are that good, they may have an opportunity to play."